I arrived in Chiang Mai a few days later and moved in to Wanasit Guesthouse the first night. The next day, I ran into Trudi, a wonderful friend I made last year here, who will only be here a few more weeks so each day we have something planned, if only a meal or long coffee break. Last night, we went to the Saturday Market for a few hours, where we ate some yummy street food - Thai sausage, fresh pineapple, young coconut juice, banama pumpkin treat - and I picked up some rice-bran soap that I love, a small handsewn bag and a few things for my room. Tonight we're meeting for a drink and then going to the Sunday Market. 
Look carefully. This is a litter of kittens at Trudi's Guesthouse, Chedi Luang View. After giving birth in an old cardboard carton that was just lying around gathering junk, the mother cat - maaeo in Thai - moved all of her kittens to the bottom of this oil barrel. I took the photo aiming down inside the barrel. No one has seen her clamber out or jump back in but I guess she's managing okay. Need a kitty?It feels really great to be back in Chiang Mai, to return to familiar places and be greeted with familiar smiles and to witness the changes. I am finally getting over jetlag and the box of books and writing materials I sent myself arrived yesterday. Now I am preparing myself with various documents required to to jump through official hoops to renew my non-immigration/retirement visa, if possible. Every ex-pat I talk to has a different story of failure/success. Rules are to be broken - as long as you end up with a flexible Thai official.
“We have to change our patterns of reacting to experience. For our problems do not lie in what we experience but in the attitude we have towards it." -- Akong Rimpoche.
